And in doing so, on his home track, the Myalup-based Maiolo, also tied with Price-Miller for the Speedweek crown.

Third overall in the series who Smith.

It was a good night behind the wheel of the LJM Racing 99 for Maiolo who elected to start on the inside front row for the feature race after winning the knockout series from Jason Kendrick who started from P2.

He got the jump at the start but the field was bunched back up after just two laps when Matthew Cross spun around in pits bend.

The more the race progressed, the more of an advantage Maiolo opened up on his rivals, with much of the action centred on Price-Miller closing in on Kendrick for second.

Kendrick’s car looked less settled in turns three and four than Price-Miller’s and with 10 to go the American got by Kendrick and then started to put some distance between the two.

With seven laps left Maiolo put younger brother Brad a lap down and conceded after the race that he didn’t think Brad was going to let him by.

Smith moved Kendrick back to fourth with six laps to go and in the run to the checkers Price-Miller was all over the back of Maiolo.

On the last lap they split the lapped car of Jamie Oldfield and it was Maiolo who had a better run down the back straight to claim the close finish.

Kendrick held on for fourth and was followed over the line by Oldfield, Brad Maiolo, Stephen Adley and Matthew Cross.

Andrew Priolo was out of the contest after cutting a right rear tyre in the latter stages.

At the start of the night Smith broke the Victory 1 Performance Quick Time stranglehold that has seen Kendrick dominate for the previous four shows.

AJ Nash was out of the contest after qualifying with what was a suspected melted piston in the motor.Daryl Clayden had a massive flip in pits bend that not only damaged the beautifully-prepared 45 but also the catch fence that required some work, cutting short the fourth and final heat.

Price-Miller required treatment for a sore right arm in his second heat race after debris flicked up onto the car and smashed the right hand panel of the USA2.Heat wins went to Kendrick, Jamie Maiolo, Jamie Oldfield and Priolo.

Both Americans were due to fly out of Perth early Sunday morning, heading to Tulsa, Oklahoma, for the annual Lucas Oils Chilli Bowl Nationals for speedcars.